M-P wins district playoffs by playing power ball (slide show)

EVERETT – Marysville-Pilchuck is hitting the cover off the ball – and at the right time.

The Tomahawks won the Class 3A District 1 title Saturday, clobbering Edmonds-Woodway in just five innings 11-0.

“I believe one through nine in the lineup, they’re going to put good at-bats together, they’re going to put good swings on the ball, and they’re going to hit the ball hard somewhere,” M-P coach James Day told The Herald.

M-P southpaw pitcher Tyler Devries was just as dominant on the mound, giving up just two hits.

But it was the hitting – especially two blasts over the Everett Memorial Stadium walls and one that bounced off the rightfield wall – that stood out.

M-P jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. With two out, Eric Anderson started things off with a bunt single and went to second on an error. He scored after another error. Sophomore Jordan Justice made it 2-0 when he smashed an RBI double off the wall in right-center. Later, Mark Bielawski hit a two-run double to right to make it 4-0. He added another double later as M-P had six extra base hits.

Power ball continued when Kee-An Ballard, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, smacked a solo homer to left in the second.

Not to be outdone, Colby Phelps accomplished the same feat over the centerfield fence the next inning as M-P won going away.

The Tommies are the district champs for the first time in more than a decade.

“The guys coming together and putting together that kind of game, that’s pretty emotional,” Day added. M-P added another run in the fourth and four in the fifth for the mercy-rule win.

M-P, 19-4, have won 11 straight going into Saturday’s state regional game against BonnEy Lake in Mount Vernon. Last time they qualified for state was in 2009.